New Delhi:  On Tuesday, Delhi Court granted bail to climate activist Disha Ravi days after she was arrested from Bengaluru, alleged for editing a social media document or toolkit. The document was about the ongoing farmer protest against three farm laws. 

Here is all one should know about the court proceedings and what it said on dissent and freedom of speech:

• The court granted the bail on the grounds that there was Âscanty and Âsketchy evidence to back charges of sedition against Disha Ravi.
• It asserted that citizens could not be jailed simply because they disagreed with government policies.
• Additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana released the 22-year-old Disha Ravi on a personal bond of ?1 lakh and two sureties of similar amounts.

The judge announced that Ravi had no connection with pro-Khalistani organizations, Sikhs for Justice, and Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) and that there was not an Âiota of evidence linking her to the violence that occurred in Delhi on Republic Day.

• He mentioned the Âscanty and sketchy evidence and added he did not find any palpable reasons to breach the general rule of bail.
• The court also highlighted that any kind of violence was absent from the toolkit, and no evidence was on record to suggest Ravi subscribed to secessionist ideas.
• Activists have repeatedly said the toolkit is a harmless document used by social media campaigns for strategy and planning.
• The judge said that citizens are the conscience-keepers of the government in a democratic nation.
• He added they cannot be put behind bars simply because they choose to disagree with the state policies.
• The judge said the offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of the government.

The court said difference of opinion, disagreement, divergence, dissent, or for that matter, even disapprobation, is recognized legitimate tools to infuse objectivity in state policies.

To read more articles from The India Saga, click here
Do follow us on Instagram for daily news update